Legal Question in Family Law in Maryland

I was engaged for 6 months. She broke off the engagement and returned the ring 17 days before marriage. There was no wrong doing on my part. No infidelity, No physical abuse. We had an argument prior to her breaking the engagement, and on additional questioning after over a week she confessed that she has been harboring emotions for the last 7 months that contributed to the demise of this relationship. She has yet to share exactly what am I guilty of. I had paid off a lot of her debt in earnest faith of marriage and paid for the venue, etc. In total about 26k. Not to mention my family has also incurred significant loss purchasing tickets to the wedding. I have been emotionally a wreck as I have not gotten any closure on why someone would break an engagement 17 days before we are to get married due to an argument over text message. I was hospitalized due to high level of stress.

I need to know if it is possible to recoup any of the money I had invested in this relationship in the promise of marriage? Also will I be able to sue for emotional damage as well?

Thank you


Asked on 12/08/15, 8:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Sher Wagshal and Sher

There is no legal redress for breach of promise to marry in Maryland. As far as your and your family's wedding-related expenses are concerned, and the debts of hers that you paid, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to recover for those. You would have to prove that she fraudulently induced you into paying off her debts by agreeing to marry you when she never had any intention to do so. This would be extremely difficult to prove unless you somehow found a "whistleblower" in whom she confided that this was her plan, or found some evidence of this in her social media. My advice would be to approach her, either in person or in writing, in as calm and friendly a way as possible, and see if she would be willing to repay you for the expenses you incurred under the circumstances. You should tell her that while you deeply regret how things ended, you harbor no ill feelings and wish her the best going forward. Maybe she would agree to a workable payment plan, just to be glad to have all of this behind her.

Read more
Answered on 12/09/15, 7:07 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Adoption questions and answers in Maryland